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Chalter Medrium
Chalter Medrium = Table of Contents = Location Land Common Races Resources Past Present Capital Other Cities of Note Government The Flag Military Established Orders Hall of Travelers Boards for Chalter Medrium Location Western Xaria. Borders: Karandia (W/NW), Icara (N), Uragoth (E), Doro Y’Edhel (S/SE), Vesve Forest (S), the Veldron Ocean (SW) Land The tremendous peaks of Mons Kyrandus form the northern borders of Chalter Medrium. The southern spur of this range divides the country into eastern and western halves before giving way to rolling hills and fertile valleys in the south. Towards the middle of the range lies the dormant volcano, Kiranu. West of the mountain range are dense pine forests, eastern slopes give way to greater hardwoods. There are abundant plains to the south and east, yielding the bulk of Chalter Medrium’s croplands. The coastline is rocky, but navigable by smaller ships and longboats. Larger, ocean-going vessels cannot port due to treacherous reefs and shallow waters. Common Races Humans, some dwarves, some halflings, few elves, fewer beastmen. Resources Mining of metals and gems, lumber, grains, and ales, seasonal vegetables. Metalworking in Chalter Medrium is below average, while woodworking far exceeds that of other countries, perhaps due to elven influence from Doro Y’Edhel. The coastal waters yield great crabs and lobsters from her depths as well as writing ink harvested from squid. Past Following the secession of Icara from the Kyrandus Empire in 129 P.A. a disproportionate demand for resources was placed upon the fiefdoms of the southeastern Empire. After several years of toiling for their masters to the West, and receiving little appreciation in terms of title and privilege, the Dukes and Lords soon became disenfranchised with their role in the Karandian economy. In 52 P.A. a pact was formed between the feudal lords in the lands south of Mons Kyrandus and East of the river Bayne. They choked the northern passage to Welmington with a landslide, and united their militias under one banner on the River Bayne. A battle never took place. The Lords of Chalter Medrium declared their independence and established treaties amongst themselves for mutual aid in event of outside aggression. The blow to the courts of Karandia was indeed a sharp one, and one that would not soon be forgotten. Nevertheless, the leadership of Karandia was more concerned with furthering their knowledge with the discoveries garnered from their mystical libraries, and no move was made against the upstart revolutionaries. Chalter Medrium thrived in its independence. Its population boomed, along with its economy. Over the next two hundred years, Chalter Medrium’s self-sufficiency allowed the country to become a major political force in western Xaria. This only served to infuriate their neighbors to the north and west, and because of the seemingly unbridled success of their southern cousin, the governments of Karandia and Icara became rooted in jealousy. Dissension became more commonplace as rival Lordships contested borders and power within Chalter Medrium. As the land was divided by the southern spur of Mons Kyrandus so to were the people of Chalter Medrium. There arose two capitals, one in the east, one in the west, with two rival lords claiming the right to rule all of Chalter Medrium. Summits failed, and in 396, civil war erupted within these once peaceful lands. Economies that had grown fat with trade were funneled into the fielding of great armies. The east boasted greater manpower and war machines, the west knowledge of arcane magiks. The war held nothing sacred, and raged on unabated for nearly 30 years. In the late months of 424, a spy was captured infiltrating the compound of one of the eastern field commanders, a young lord named Frederick. During the interrogation, all were startled to discover that the prisoner was in fact an agent of Icara. Further questions and research led to an inescapable conclusion. Karandia and Icara, long at odds with each other, sought a way in which to settle their grievances while minimizing their own losses. With Icara providing training and equipment to the eastern forces of Chalter Medrium, and Karandia supplying powerful magik to the west, the two warring countries sought to grind the people of Chalter Medrium against each other, eventually splitting the remains of the country between them. A summit was called, and representatives of the Eastern and Western forces of Chalter Medrium gathered in the contested city of Grath. Frederick presented the information before the council, and due to his skill as a diplomat, the civil war came to an end. As a result of the summit between the eastern and western leaders, it was decided that “Frederick the Wise” should govern the country as king. Frederick vowed that no outsider would ever again interfere with the well being of his people, and that strangers in the land of Chalter Medrium should be viewed with suspicion. With their remaining forces and supplies, Frederick forced the Karandian and Icaran advisors from Chalter Medrium, and closed the borders to outside eyes. The crown would rest in the walled city of Grath on the southern slopes of the Mons Medrius. The country would rebuild. In 450, King Frederick I, at the age of 63, passed away. Of his children, the crown and title passed to his eldest living son, Gilbert, at the age of 26. Dubbed “Frederick the Fair” by his subjects, he retained his father’s policies of noninterference with the world outside Chalter Medrium, focussing instead on the continued rebuilding of the lands within. Under his benevolent rule, Chalter Medrium began to prosper once again. In June of 490, at the age of 66, Fredrick II was found dead in his bedchamber. His eldest living son, Peter, was long known to be of unhealthy mind. When, only days after his father’s passing, Peter was found dead, no one questioned the pronouncement of suicide. The only other living son of Frederick II, Xavier, was a boy barely ten years of age. The ministers met to discuss the terms of ascension. The sole surviving heir of Frederick I and only son of his second marriage, Winslow, was called to Grath. He arrived in early August with a small band of supporters, fully expecting to be named the new king of Chalter Medrium. He left with the title of Regent. As regent, Winslow was charged with ensuring the education of young Xavier, and arranged for him to travel throughout the great country so that he would learn of every peasant, every village, every hillock, stream and field, so that he could one day rule as evenly as had his father. Xavier left in the company of a stalwart guard, and a host of private tutors. Reports surfaced some nine months later that the Prince and his cohort were missing somewhere on the eastern borders of the country. Further investigation showed that the cohort had been ambushed. The little evidence left behind suggested an attack by the elves of Doro Y’Edhel. Winslow argued for a strong response to this abhorrent transgression. He warned of an elfish conspiracy that would culminate in the eventual appropriation of the country by the elves. Winslow presented his argument to the council behind closed doors. What was said during this conference was never revealed, and was not recorded. There is a legend that a hooded and cloaked advisor to Winslow was seen entering the meeting, though what his role was has never been confirmed. When all emerged, it was pronounced that Prince Winslow, then 48 years of age, would ascend the throne as Frederick III. Winslow was crowned on May 28, 491, amidst much pomp and circumstance. Among his first actions as King, Frederick III decreed that all citizens of Chalter Medrium bear documents certifying their lineage. Those unable to do so would forfeit their lands and positions, becoming serfs or put on trial and jailed for sedition. In August, 491, Fredrick III issued a series of proclamations, each more severe than the one before. First, he banished from Grath all "adventuring-types, devilish influences, and landless beggars". The military assisted with this purge, and then too found itself ordered from the city. After a week of orders from the King, Grath stood empty save for Fredrick himself, and his honor guard troops. Over the following months, Fredrick III continued to rule Chalter Medrium with an iron fist. Because of his skill as a politician, the citizens backed his approach. He used the age-old feelings of paranoia and fear that were so a part of Chalter Medrium, to his advantage. In late 492, an order came down that all elves within Chalter Medrium were to be driven from the country, and slain if they resisted. Throughout the land, over-eager troops and long-restrained citizens began the persecution, and execution, of many elves. As Regent, Winslow had disassembled much of the Crown Guard of Frederick II, ordering many of the best knights to positions along the borderlands of Chalter Medrium. Ostensibly this was done to train the regional militias and recruit new soldiers. Many of the younger knights were put in other positions, still in service to the crown, but not with the same responsibilities they once held. Sir Finnian was one of these younger knights. Formerly a Knight of the Crown Guard, Finnian now commanded the Grath constabulary, the militia force for the city. He had the unsavory burden of administrating each of the new decrees of the then Regent, and now King Frederick III. He viewed each of the King’s new orders with ever-growing concern. When evidence of the elven persecution was brought before him, Sir Finnian decided he could no longer support the mad king. On that fateful winter day in 493 Finnian led his forces to Castle Grath to arrest Frederick III for crimes against the people. By the eve of the second day, Finnian’s men had breached the inner baileys and were pressing the King’s men deeper into the castle. On the dawn of the fourth day of battle, Finnian and his men entered the royal chambers of Frederick III to find a masked elf standing over the lunatic King. The elf killed Frederick III, and was summarily apprehended by Finnian and his men. The trial of the elven assassin was held a day’s march from Grath at the Inn of the Rusty Dirk. Here it was learned that the elf in question was none other than Kyril Feanor, a highly respected member of the Doro Y’Edhel High Council. It was decided that Kyril had acted in response to a threat against his people, and that further elven bloodshed in the name of Frederick III would damage future relations with the Elven Kingdom. Kyril Feanor was set free. Still reeling from this course of events, the land-owning nobility gathered in Grath to discuss matters of the throne. Because Chalter Medrium’s history as a Monarchy was so short lived, there were none, beyond the infant daughter of Frederick III and the missing and presumed dead Xavier, who could claim a royal bloodline. As the Lords and Dukes gathered to settle this problem, the country held its collective breath. A provisional government was soon assembled in Grath. The remaining Knights of Frederick II rallied behind Sir Finnian. All local militias were banded together into the remains of the shattered Crown Guard. The Dukes and noblemen formed 'the Senate Council' comprised of the landed nobility and twenty-four of the most powerful and influential men in the country. Fearing a military coup, they appealed to the knight's sense of service to the crown, and named Sir Finnian Regent. By placing Sir Finnian in this position, the Senators hoped to insure the loyalty of the military, while placating an uneasy populace. Winslow's daughter was sequestered away, 'in training' for the royal position she would one day fulfill. Sir Finnian, under the guidance of the Senate, drafted repeals of Frederick III's decrees and set about altering the very perception of rule in Chalter Medrium. Amnesty was granted to any prisoners who were accused of political crimes against Frederick III, following summary evaluation by the Senate. The original tenets of Frederick I held firm; tight control of the borderlands, limited contact with outside nations, and increased effort placed upon the improvement of infrastructure within the country. In the years since Finnian was given rule, the country has been rebuilding, and, at peace. For much of these years nothing of much consequence occurred within the borders, and, only mild attention was paid to the happenings on the rest of the continent. Present Chalter Medrium’s goal of staying secluded from the troubles of the continent was forever changed in the late years of the century. An ancient magikal construct was discovered on a remote peak in the heart of Chalter Medrium. This site became the focus of many strange stories, and, many of the Chalter Medrium elite military units were assigned there over the past few years. In fact, to this day there is a contingent of elite guardsmen and a detachment of engineers assigned to the peak. Locals and travelers in the region have reported seeing large groups of adventurers, including beastmen, as well as military units wearing a red and gold standard. There are many rumors as to what actually occurs there, but, few know the true tale. In general, the people of Chalter Medium now live in comfort, earning a livelihood in either agriculture or business. They have little need to complain, and, the government still exists as an uneasy combination of the Royal Regent and the Senate council. The Queen Cassandra, having been crowned upon her 13th birthday in 505, still rules with the aide of the Regent and the Senate. In reaction to a foray of Ank's men on their eastern border, the military outpost of Sarwen's Keep was reopened in 505 and construction was completed in 506 to restore the ancient ruins to practical use. Chalter Medrium has suffered more than most lands by the closure of the Elven Kingdom, as the elves were a major trading partner for this land (despite the challenging past). With ancient rivals Icara and Karandia to the north, the monsters to the east, and the elves to the south, Chalter Medrium has struggled economically for the past five years. In response, Queen Cassandra has drawn from the royal treasury to sponsor expeditions to all corners of the known lands, seeking opportunities for colonial settlement. A new advisor from the southern oceans has become one of her inner circle, and is often the one giving instructions to the hired adventurers. Capital Grath: a large walled city set into the lower slopes of Mons Medrius, the southernmost spur of the great Mons Kyrandus chain. Its high towers and gates are easily defendable in time of war or unrest. With fields and pastures to the east and lush forests to the north and west, it is ideally located. The scars of civil war, after so many years, are no longer so apparent. Around the city, though, one can still see old women weeping, or placing flowers at a street-corner. The structures of the city are healed, though, the generation that saw Fredrick the Mad wreak havoc upon their home is still not whole. Other Cities of Note Warren’s Glen: nestled in the mountain slopes north of Grath, this is the town in which the East Gate rebellion was formed and the site upon which the trial of Kyril Fea’nor was held. The Inn of the Rusty Dirk now holds some degree of celebrity for the troubles it has witnessed. Kelwyn: perched atop a bluff and protected by a natural moat to the east, the forces stationed in the walled city keep a watchful eye on the Forests of Uragoth. Razed during the civil war and only recently repaired wholly and re-inhabited, Kelwyn was once, and hopes to be again, the brewing capital of Chalter-Medrium. Bril: on the road to the Karandian city of Welmington, Bril was originally a weigh station for goods heading northward. Its forces patrol the mountainous ranges to the North and West to the River Bayne, protecting the logging and mining villages that were all but wiped out during the war. Lund: The southernmost town in Chalter Medrium, Lund was spared much from the civil war. Situated on the thunderous banks of the River Bayne, it is a home for the small ocean-going fleet of lobster and fishermen of the country. Wenskep: The civilian village and supply house for the fortress of Sarewen's keep. North of Kelywen, it was half-burned down during the restoration of the keep in 505. It has been rebuilt and continues to serve as the civillian population center for the nearby military post. Government The former monarchy is no more. A Senate Council rules Chalter Medrium with Sir Finnian acting as Regent. As Regent, Finnian holds a tie-breaking vote on the senate, and is theoretically responsible for any communication outside Chalter Medrium. With his control of the militia, not one of the 'Senators' wishes to make an issue of their own supposed right to the throne, especially with the memory of the civil war all around them. This is a new form of government in Chalter Medrium, and although some would rather have the comfort of being ruled by a monarch again, the Senate seems perfectly content with the current arrangement. Queen Cassandra, being fairly young, rules with the aid of both Sir Finnian and the Senate and is more of a figurehead than a true political power; for now. The Flag Chalter Medrium’s banner shows a red lion upon a white shield resting in a swath of royal blue from upper left to lower right upon a field of light blue. The Senate regularly discussed adopting a red sword to replace the lion as no monarchy resided in Gath at the time, but it was never altered. Military Chalter Medrium has slowly restored its military to a position of power. It is not grand enough to make an attack on a neighbor, but, anyone attacking Chalter Medrium will find the defense to be more than capable. With the historical connections to both Icara and Karandia, the Chalter Medrium army has a healthy respect of both magikal and military might. Under Frederick I, and to a greater extent, during the rule of Frederick II, the best minds of eastern and western Chalter Medrium were able to compare notes on the results of 'the experimental war' they had unwittingly played part in. The Grath Academy of Military Studies was founded in 442 and to this day works to improve upon the combined usage of magecraft, and warcraft. In 505 the disused outpost of Sarwen's Keep on the Urogoth border was reopened. Established Orders It was rumored that there was a group, highly loyal to Frederick the II, called the Agents of the Crown. Since the rise of the Senate and the Regent they have vanished into rumor and half-forgotten memory.